How to Beat Skyrim

Last Updated: January 11, 2022

Skyrim probably had the most vast and largest open-gaming world during its release back in November 2011. Its map is so huge that simply walking or horseback riding from one town to another takes several minutes. Though some users have stated that the map is almost as big as the map in Oblivion (Skyrim’s predecessor), the landscaping and construction of the game is so deep and complex that it actually feels way bigger. Completing the entirety of the game itself is almost impossible, with all the side quests that seems to lead you nowhere near the end. However, beating the game is a whole different story and is actually very doable.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Completing the Main Quest: Act I

1
Do “Unbound”. This is the first mission you’ll encounter at the very start of the game. The mission will open up with you being a prisoner and Alduin suddenly attacking the village of Helgen where you’re at.
- To complete this mission, all you need to do is to head to the exit of the village and go down the mountain path.
2
Do “Before the Storm”. This is the second mission following the main storyline. All you need to do is to head for Whiterun and talk to Jarl Balgruuf residing inside the keep at the very back of the village.
- Open your map to see where Whiterun is and what roads you can take from your location.
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3
Complete “Bleak Falls Barrow”. This is where you’ll learn your first dragon word. You’ll need to go inside the Bleak Falls Barrow, a ruin located north of Whiterun. Head inside and follow the path where it leads to a dragon wall where you can learn your first shout.
4
Complete the “Dragon Rising” quest. This is where you kill your first dragon. Jarl Balgruuf will ask you to kill the dragon that’s been terrorizing the fields near Whiterun. After talking to the Jarl, exit the village and head west towards the Western Watchtower. Here you’ll find the dragon flying above the sky.
- Approach the dragon and start shooting it with arrows or spells like firebolt. Once it accumulates enough damage, Mirmulnir (the name of the dragon) will land and start biting or breathing fire at you.
- Once Mirmulnir lands, go near it and attack it with your melee weapons or spell. Once it takes enough damage, it will fly up again.
- Keep doing this until you defeat Mirmulnir. You’ll also use the same method to attack and defeat other dragons throughout the game.
5
Do “The Way of the Voice”. After killing your first dragon and telling everyone that you’re the “Dragonborn,” you’ll be given “The Way of the Voice” quest where you’ll need to go to High Hrothgar, located on a mountain top southeast section of Whiterun, and talk to the Greybeards, an order that speaks the language of dragons (in game).
6
Complete “The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller”. After talking to the Greybeards, they will give you your next main quest mission, “The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller,” which will require you to go Ustengrav, an ancient Nord ruin and retrieve an item called the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.
- After completing this mission, the second chapter of the main quest will begin.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Completing the Main Quest: Act II

1
Complete “A Blade in the Dark”. The first mission of the game’s second act will require you to travel to Riverwood, a small village in Whiterun, and head inside the “Sleeping Giant Inn.” Inside you’ll see a non-playable character named Delphine, the last of the Blades, a group of warriors that protects the Dragonborn and destroys dragons.
2
Do “A Diplomatic Immunity”. Next, after talking to Delphine and working together with the Blades, you’ll be asked to go inside the Thalmor Embassy at the very north of the map and find out any information about the Thalmors, the army sent by the empire, and what they know about the dragons.
3
Complete “A Cornered Rat”. After finding out about the dragons and the empire, the third mission of the second act of the main quest will start. In “A Cornered Rat,” all you need to do is to go to Riften, a town situated southeast of the map, and talk to the other members of the Blade inside the Ratway.
- The Ratway’s main entrance can be found on the southernmost lower level of Riften.
4
Finish “Alduin's Wall”. The Blades will then escort you to the Sky Haven Temple on the westernmost area of the map, the ancient base of the Blades and where Alduin’s Wall is located—which you need to read in order to complete the quest.
5
Complete “The Throat of the World”. After reading Alduin’s Wall, you will now need to speak with the leader of the Greybeards—a dragon named Paarthurnax. You can find Paarthurnax on “The Throat of the World” (the same name as the quest), the mountain top south of Whiterun (where the Greybeard’s temple is). Paarthurnax will teach you how to defeat Alduin.
6
Do “Elder Knowledge”. Paarthurnax will tell you that you need an item called “The Elder Scrolls” to defeat Alduin. You need to find the said item, which is located inside the Alftand ruin; southwest of Winterhold. Just head inside and follow the path up to the very end of the ruin to find the item you’re looking for.
7
Complete “Alduin’s Bane”. After getting the Elder Scrolls, go back to The Throat of the World and talk again to Paarthurnax. A time hole will open where you’ll need to go inside and learn the “Dragonrend,” a dragon shout used to bring down dragons in flight.
- After you learn the shout, Alduin will appear and you’ll need to fight him. Bring down Alduin with the newly learned “Dragonrend” and attack him while his down. After taking enough damage, Alduin will fly away, completing the quest.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Completing the Main Quest: Act III

1
Do “Season Unending”. To defeat Alduin, you’ll need the full cooperation of every army in Skyrim. Thus, the “Season Unending” quest will require you to establish a truce between the Imperial Legion and the Stormcloak army—two factions that hold control of cities in the game map.
- To do this, the Grey beards will simply set a meeting between the two parties, which you’ll need to attend.
2
Complete “The Fallen”. In order to defeat Alduin, you need to get to him first. You’ll need to capture a dragon that will take you to “Sovngarde”—the fictional “afterlife” area in the world of Skyrim.
- Both the Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks will arrange the trap for you. All you need to do is to wait for the dragon to appear, attack it until it gets weak enough for the traps to capture.
- You’ll be talking to Odahviing (the dragon) after you’ve captured it to make arrangements and agree to take you to Sovngarde.
3
Finish “The World-Eater's Eyrie”. After capturing Odahviing, he’ll now take you to Sovngarde. Get on the back of dragon and it will fly up, taking you to your destination.
4
Do the “Sovngarde” quest. After you’ve landed in Sovngarde, head inside the Hall of Heroes and talk to Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, Hakon One-Eye, and Felldir the Old—the three ancient warriors who defeated Alduin. You will be enlisting them and they’ll be joining you in battling Alduin.
5
Complete the final quest, “Dragonslayer”. Exit the Halls of Heroes, head down the path and use your dragon shout to clear out the mist, after which Alduin will come and the final battle will begin.
- To defeat Alduin, simply repeat the things you did in “Alduin’s Bane.” This should be a lot easier since the three heroes will also be there fighting on your side. They can also use dragon shouts.
6
Progress through the Epilogue. After defeating Alduin, talk to Tsun standing near the Hall of Heroes and he will take you back to Skyrim.
- Congratulations! You’ve just beaten Skyrim!

Community Q&A

Question

This didn't work. I need to also kill Miraak.

Community Answer

Miraak is part of the Dragonborn DLC, and this tutorial is for the base game storyline.
Question

How do I finish Diplomatic Immunity?

Community Answer

After you escape the party, either kill everyone in your way to obtain the key, or sneak to the room with the hostages. In the instance that you took the stealthy way, you will need to wait a little longer with the Thalmor to enter the room and shout out that they know your plan and threaten to kill the wood elf who helped you. Perch up with a bow and kill these people to save him. WHether or not he dies, they have the key to the hatch that the prisoner tells you to go through. If he is saved he gets killed by a frost troll after you drop down through the hatch.
Question

Can I do all the side quests before I do the main quests?

Community Answer

Yes, actully, it would be nice because you need strong weapons for defeat Alduin.